


hylian winter

by ariaxm



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Romantic Fluff, Soulmates, a little mature but not really, fluffy fluff, zelink, zelink do be my otp!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25299643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariaxm/pseuds/ariaxm
Summary: the hero and the princess try to stay warm after spending all day in the cold snowy fields of Hyrule
Relationships: Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Zelink - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 68





	hylian winter

Hylian winters were cruel yet gentle, such as the ways of the Golden Goddesses who first brought the seasons to the world. The cold air tore the leaves off the sparkling amber and flaming red trees, but the pure white snow dusted over each limb like sugar sprinkled on a warm layer of cake. Campfires throughout the towns offered heat not above average temperature, but felt akin to Death Mountain's flame when compared to the frigid outdoors.

In this wintery landscape, the giggle of two young friends can be heard resonating through piles of snow in Hyrule field. The princess' voice was almost unrecognizable - it had gone from delicate to hoarse from how much she had been laughing. Though he didn't speak much, the hero's small chuckles and sighs were also starting to wear off. Zelda fell back into the pillowy white blanket beneath them, admiring the hero sitting across from her. Their snowball fight was an obviously unfair match; who in Hylia's name would set a bookish princess against a master sharpshooter? Then again, it was Zelda's idea to have the fight. And though she insisted that he didn't, Link was going very easy on her. 

"Link," Zelda smiled in the snow, still gazing into his face, "your nose and cheeks are all pink! You look like a rabbit." This remark made Link stutter in embarrassment, which didn't help his face from getting red all over.  
"Do you suppose we should go inside? It is getting a little late, after all." she stood up, brushing the glittering snow off of her winter coat. Now it was Link who was staring at the princess, taking in how the setting sun made the snow on her shoulders sparkle almost as much as her eyes. Her golden blonde hair was stuck to her face from how messy she had gotten in the snowball fight, framing her round and soft eyes, nose, and lips.  
A sudden light collision snapped Link out of his trance, instantly falling apart on impact into the snow beneath him. He had forgotten Zelda was still holding a snowball.  
"It's not polite to stare, my hero." her pink cheeks raised, making her rupee blue eyes smile. A giggle followed suit. She let out a concerning cough.  
Link immediately ran over to her, shielding her from the cold with his arms. She kept coughing, now hunched over.  
"I- koff- I'm alright, it's ju-just a little cold-" she tried to convince Link. He could see past it easily. From a nearby tree he untied Epona, mounting Zelda on top along with him. They rode in the snow to Hyrule castle, the sun now almost gone under the horizon. 

"One day you will have to stop taking care of me." the princess sighed, curled up tightly underneath a blanket with a bowl of homemade stew in her cupped hands. It was no lie how amazing of a cook Link was. It was legendary how he could make such delicious meals with so little ingredients, and now that he had access to Hyrule castle's pantry, there was no doubt how spectacular this stew would be. As she finished her bowl, Zelda couldn't agree more. 

Link sat down next to her on her large and soft bed, checking in to see if she was still cold from the snow. He hesitantly reached for her forehead, gauging if it was okay to touch her. When she didn't show any sign of protest, he felt her temperature. She was warming up, but clearly shivering from the cold air still in her bones.  
"What are you gonna do when you're the one who needs help? What if I can't help you?" she asked, eyebrows knitted together. The princess sniffled. Then she smiled once again, looking the hero in his eyes. "Of course. You'll find a way to get through. You always do, Link." Zelda leaned her head on his shoulder, making him blush despite the amount of times they've found themselves in this position before. "Just don't forget about me, okay? Keep me in your memories. Then I'll know you'll be okay." she closed her eyes. Link didn't need to put his hand to her forehead to feel the heat coming from her. It came from her heart and melted the last flakes of snow off of him, pooling into drops of water that flowed like the night flowed into the sky outside her bedroom.

She was asleep. Link would stay with her all night to make sure she wasn't sick, but he wouldn't invade her privacy by sleeping in her bed without even asking first. For a princess, Zelda should have had more places for him to sleep in her bedroom. Maybe a sofa, a chair, even a table would do. He would have to settle for the floor, which is something he was used to as an adventurer. Link had laid down a thick blanket on the floor at Zelda's bedside, layering a second blanket over him on top of the makeshift blanket mattress. It didn't take long for both of them to fall asleep, silently resting in the same room yet so far away from each other.

At some early hour in the night, Zelda's eyes snapped open as she violently awoke in a cold sweat. Her heavy breathing jolted Link awake. Instantly he was up on his feet, blindly searching with his arms for a lantern to turn on.  
"L-Link, I'm okay, I'm alright. It was just another nightmare." the dreary princess reached out for his arm. He let out a huff, not out of anything but relief mixed with the adrenaline from being shaken awake at...what time was it?  
"May I… ask a favor of you?" Zelda's quiet voice requested, almost in a whisper. Link let out a soft hum in reply, nodding his head.  
"If it isn't too much to ask, do you mind, perhaps maybe you could, oh and only if it's not too much of a trouble, you don't have t-"  
Link interrupted her with the rustling of his harness. He removed his pockets, straps, weapons, anything that made him feel safe but his body bulky. He took off his hooded tunic until he was just left in his shorts. The entire time he stripped of his gear, Zelda watched through tired eyes as the moonlight reflected off his smooth, battle worn body. He was bruised, cut, scratched, damaged by his enemies and by nature. It meant nothing to the princess. Who stood before her was the most perfect hero who had ever lived, more perfect than either of their ancestors, and dare she say it, more perfect than Hylia herself.  
Link sat on the bed right next to her, placing his hands on the coat she still had on from their day in the snow. He looked into her icy blues, silently obtaining consent to remove the garment. He continued to undress her until she was left in her nightgown, thinly covering her soft and warm body. The boy climbed over her, landing on the other side of her body. He held her close, hugging her backside tight with his arms wrapping protectively around her body. 

The hero was without his sword, his bombs, his bow and arrow. He had no shield to protect him like how he always did. But it didn't matter. The princess - Zelda - she was his shield. And him, hers.

"I love you, my hero."

"I love you too."

They were safe.


End file.
